Emulsion-filled gels application in the food design of baked goods

Emulsion-filled gels (EFG) are classified as soft solid materials and are complex colloids formed by matrices of polymeric gels into which emulsion droplets are incorporated. Several structural aspects of these gels have been studied in the past few years, including their applications in food. In our study EFG based on inulin, dry-fractionated proteins from legumes and sunflower oil were added in the formulation of a vegan brioche. The resulting experimental brioches were compared to a non-vegan control and their physical, chemical and sensory characteristics were analysed. The brioches prepared with EFG had harder texture compared to control, but the increasing of oil amount and the decreasing of water used in the EFG reduced the hardness of the product. No significant difference was found in the specific volume and springiness between the samples. The volatile profile of brioches mainly depended on compounds derived from the Maillard reaction, caramelisation and lipid oxidation or fermentation process. Furthermore, the results suggested that the concentration of certain compounds such as 2-pentylfuran, nonanal or benzaldehyde increased when EFG was added in the formulations. According to the sensory evaluation the brioches obtained with EFG at the highest percentage of sunflower oil was the most appreciated for crust colour, elasticity, typical odour of brioche and overall judgment. All the vegan brioches obtained could be labelled with “low fat” nutritional claim.